Note: they have one room microphone, hanging from the ceiling. Bessie has no mic of her own. She holds her own, and more, with all that chorale singing and the band. She was a force of nature, and probably the best blues singer who ever drew breath.
Many years ago I read an article about this scene: Bessie's mic was hidden behind her left arm, and that's why she almost doesn't move from the shelf. Anyway, THESE were artists. I clap my hands for them.
@@Alexusmendoza I don't know. If this was true we would hear her more when she sings to the left and I didn't hear anything different when she turns to the left!
You can always hear traces of these 20s people in Hank Williams, Elvis, Willie Nelson re did Blue Skies, was from the 20s as well. Yes..to go back in time ...and sit in that room for just a minute!!
The honking melody of rock and roll music has a clearly defined ancestry in jazz going back to Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith of 85 years ago. Bessie Smith was ahead of her time.
sends a shiver down my spine everytime i hear it, what a wonderful opportunity to hear Bessie, so raw and so spiritual despite the context of the song.
One of the best-recognized songs of its period....and sung as only Bessie Smith could do it. In 1956, W. C. Handy sent me 3 autographed photos, which are among my prized possession.
I would treasure those as well @gmmix, that is living history. I'd be interested in knowing the circumstances which led up to that, and your communication with him, or request. I was watching him this morning on his appearance at The Ed Sullivan Show, age 75, playing this simple and sparse song, which the great Bessie Smith immortalized in her voice.
i first heard this song on a documentary about the history of blues music and when i heard bessie smith sing this i fell in love with it instantly. truely a beautiful song from a beautiful woman.
La mayor influencia de Janis Joplin. Qué buena sorpresa, gran artista; y se nota la influencia en Janis, es notorio en el estilo de cantar; su mayor diferencia, la música y el toque personal de Janis. Ambas muy buenas cantantes.
i first heard her song, "nobody knows you" on Bioshock, later i saw the movie by queen latifah making her character and love how she sings the blues so beautiful, oh my gosh im in love with her voice
this film is available in its entirety along with those of Louis Armstrong , Billie Holiday and Scatman Crothers(both 19yrs old), Duke Ellington,Fredi Washington, Cab Calloway, on a DVD called Hollywood Rhythm: The Paramount Musical Shorts The Best of Jazz and Blues!
St. Louis Blues Bessie Smith I hate to see that evening sun go down Hate to see that evening sun go down Cause ma baby, he done left this town If I feel tomorrow like I feel today Feel tomorrow like I feel today Ill pack up my trunk, and make my getaway Saint Louis woman with her diamond rings Pulls that man around by her apron strings If it weren't for powder and her store-bought hair The man I love wouldn't go nowhere, nowhere Got them Saint Louis blues I'm as blue as I can be He's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea Got them Saint Louis blues I'm as blue as I can be
I hate to see the evening' sun go down I hate to see the evening' sun go down It makes me think I'm on my last go 'round Feeling' tomorrow like I feel today Feeling' tomorrow like I feel today I'll pack my grip and make my getaway Saint Louis woman with her diamond rings Pulls that man around by her apron strings Wasn't for powder and the store-bought hair The man I love wouldn't go nowhere, nowhere I got them Saint Louis Blues; just as blue as I can be He's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me
If only today's pap-fed generation could be introduced to this kind of music, but there is no chance, today it is image and money making, I despair, Bessie is still giving pleasure to millions, I douby the Lady Gagas of this world will, in the future,be doing the same.
@Ronald McFondle And what's wrong with that? Each generation has their own style that they grow up with and love. And then when the kids from one generation get older a lot of them look down on the next generation or 2 and start complaining..."well in my day" (not that I'm implying you're old enough to have been into Bessie when she was current) or "today's kids don't know what real music is" blah blah blah Quite frankly I'm sick to death of it...and the elitists, which you and tommy hall seem to both be. What's wrong with saying that today's music doesn't suck just because it's different? Not to mention that some of us are eclectic and like lots of stuff from Bessie Smith to Illenium. Synth sound is AWESOME and guess what, so are the blues.
wow...of all the current artists you pick to trash, you go with one of the ones with the most substance and talent. No disrespect to Bessie because she's amazing, but you obviously have no idea what you're talking about.
Taken from the album "Best of Bessie Smith" Day 5974. 2 x 29 x 103. Iceberg lettuce and baby spinach leaves in the morning then all my urine then dried figs and cherries and lettuce and spinach then more urine then fresh fruit and vegetables and other foods at 9.00pm. No change.
This movie is thanks to black Oscar Micheaux and Jewish Alfred Sack, a Dallas friend of mine, who added the Fletch Henderson band. This arrangement of St. Louis Blues, was done by Rosamond Johnson who composed the NAACP anthem "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing." This was the only movie where Bessie was seen and catch the movie where Queen Latifah plays Bessie. Dr. Diane Cheney
I think that the problem lies with the sound technology -- Bessie's voice is swamped by the crowd's greater volume. If her voice was amplified over the crowd, then this would sound great.
This is one of the best versions of St.Louis Blues, and the scenes from Cabin in the Sky (?) are great. Thanks for this post. I'm glad to be able to have access to old classics like this, because these songs are basically my favourites. :))
I'm visiting a few of my friends in that part of the world. They're not exactly in StL itself, but yeah (doesn't give away their location). A few south west? I'll look. 112 days to go!
ChuChu353 Let me tell you something little kiddie, Latifah ain't woman enough to play Bessie Smith. You see Bessie was all-woman and she loved herself some men, the finer the better. I guarantee you that the man-loving, hard loving sexual side of Bessie's love life will take a back seat to Latifah's demands. Because Latifah don't like men period. And the script will be scrubbed clean of that part of Bessie's life making the story not really about Bessie. Give me a newcomer. Lots of good, powerful black actresses out there toiling away in off Broadway productions, small films and in acting schools. Tifah's time is past she's not a great actress and she CAN NOT play a love scene at all.
JJ truth But wasn't Bessie bisexual? Maybe that part will be explored, who knows. Latifa sure as hell did a great love scene in set it off with that other woman. It was natural because she was being herself. The black community is still very homophobic so I doubt the queen will becoming out any time soon, though everyone knows it. It's an open secret just like Luther Vandross.
